


The Power of the Stars

by Crackerjackz



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: 1920s, Fluff, Gatsby being a good neighbor, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Nick being a good neighbor too, One Shot, Stargazing, a kind of-not really date, cute bois
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:00:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crackerjackz/pseuds/Crackerjackz
Summary: The lights flickered and were then extinguished, casting the house into total darkness. Jay Gatsby looked up from the papers he was reading and stared into black space, looking for any objects he could identify. Sighing, he got up from his desk and carefully made his way through the room to the space were he thought the floor to ceiling window should be. Gripping the thick velvety curtains, he yanked the fabric aside to reveal the moonlit gardens below. Beyond the hedges, the electric lamps in the street had died, no longer emitting their usual bright radiance. Gatsby sighed again. It was the second time this month the electrical system had failed. He would have to get someone to check it. Gatsby’s gaze drifted down to the little bungalow beside his grand mansion. It was dark there too, no light to be seen. All of a sudden, the front door swung open and a young man stepped out. After quickly glancing down the street, he disappeared again. Gatsby smiled as an idea came to him. Maybe he wouldn’t have to be so lonely tonight after all.





	The Power of the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> My first one shot, which I started writing at about 12:45 last night and finished in less than an hour. The power went out at my house so we had to set up little candles everywhere. It was fun and I felt inspired to write this. I hope you like it!

Shadows stretched over the walls as warm candlelight filled the small cottage. I was traveling from room to room, placing and lighting candles on top of tables and windowsills so that my little abode would not feel so empty and dark. I love the way candles feel so cozy. Holding a tiny fire in your hand is somehow comforting. I had just lit the last candle and taken a step back to admire my handy work when a knock came at the door. Picking up the nearest candle, I went to answer it and got a small shock. Standing on my doorstep with a candle of his own was my neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He seemed to have his usual confidence, but I detected some hesitation or nervousness in his composure.

“Gatsby.” I felt stupid for stating the obvious.

“Nick.” He paused to take a breath.

“You doing alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” I looked back over my shoulder to make sure no calamity had occurred in the past 30 seconds during which I had been engaged in my current conversation.

“Right. Good. I just wanted to check up on you, you see, with the power going out and all.”

“Oh yes. I’ve been lighting a few candles and things, so everything’s good.”

“Alright then.”

We were both silent. Neither of us knew how to continue the conversation. Gatsby stuck his hands in his trouser pockets and looked up at the sky.

“You can see the stars really well tonight.”

“Can you?” I stepped out of the doorway and onto the front porch to peer up at the heavens.

“Oh, you can.”

The stars were twinkling faintly in the night sky. They seemed so much brighter without all the street lamps to create light pollution. And there were so many more stars, little ones that I had never noticed before residing next to big constellations that dominated the sky. I could see Hercules and Draco very clearly and in my mind’s eye I drew lines between the stars.

“Beautiful.” I said. That was the only way to describe it. Gatsby murmured his agreement.

“You know, I actually know a bit about astronomy. I learned it while I was at Oxford,” he remarked.

“Really?”

“I could teach you. If you’d like that,” Gatsby offered.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” I replied.

I knew Gatsby was looking for an excuse to share my company. However much it may claim to enjoy solitude, the human spirit can only stand being alone for so long. Everyone needs occasional contact with others. But whatever Gatsby’s reasons for coming to see me, they didn’t much matter. I was content to spend my time with him. We dragged a couple of chairs out to the front porch so we could observe the stars, and I brought a few blankets and candles to keep us warm during the cool July night. We sat gazing at the glorious show up above as Gatsby pointed out figures and patterns in the sky and told me the stories behind each one. Far from knowing “a bit,” the man was practically a living repository of knowledge about astronomy.

“Did you know, old sport, that the light from the stars we’re seeing right now actually takes years to reach earth? Gatsby’s voice was pierced with previously contained excitement.

“So the images we’re seeing are from a few years ago?”

“Yes.”

“So basically, we’re seeing the past.”

“Basically.”

“How do you know all this stuff, Gatsby?” I closed my eyes as a need for sleep started crowding at the back of my mind.

“I studied hard when I was at Oxford. I wanted to make the most of my education. And…” he paused, and I cracked one eye open.

“...and it helped me distract myself from other things.” Gatsby smiled.

“Ah. I understand,” I responded, though I wasn’t sure if I really did. Gatsby’s past seemed to be a whole confusing jumble that I didn’t really want to bring up right then. Tonight we were just two friends enjoying the stars.

“What’s that one, over there?” I gestured vaguely in the direction of a constellation and Gatsby happily launched into another explanation. My eyelids had begun to feel heavy. Wrapping my blanket around me, I closed my tired eyes.

\---

I didn’t remember falling asleep when I woke up the next morning, but I found that I had been carefully placed on the couch in my living room with blankets laid over me. On the coffee table was a folded note. Sitting up in my nest of blankets, I rubbed my face and snatched up the piece of paper.

 _Dear Nick,_  
_I enjoyed our time together last night. I hope I didn’t bore you with all my talk of the cosmos. If you’re willing, I’d love to do something like this again. Come see me whenever you’re available. You’ll always be welcome at my place._  
_-Jay_

 _P.S. The power’s working again (I checked)._  
_P.P.S. If I’m bothering you, don’t feel like you have to come over (but I would be delighted if you would)._

I grinned a little. Jay. I supposed Gatsby had a first name, even if I never thought of it. I studied the handsome swirls of his cursive and tried to imagine him writing it. Even this short note communicated his quiet charm. I remembered the glow of the candlelight around him and the way the flickering flames were reflected in his eyes. His clear blue irises sparkled like the palest sapphires as he so avidly watched the stars. I snuck little glances at him while he talked when I thought he wouldn’t notice. As I folded up the note, I closed my eyes again and pictured another evening with Gatsby- No, Jay. Just me, Jay and the stars, existing together in our own blissful little corner of the universe.

**Author's Note:**

> I love imagining Gatsby and Nick hanging out together during a power outage. Tell me what you think about this one-shot. I promise I'm working on the third chapter of Gatsby, Guns and Gold, it's just taking me a while to decide what should happen next. Decisions, decisions. *laughs evilly* Thanks for reading!


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